Field Level Media - Professional sports content solutions | FLM

The Cincinnati Reds will look to finish off a successful homestand and add to their season series win over the visiting Philadelphia Phillies when the teams conclude a four-game series with a Thursday matinee.

The Reds clinched a season series with a 7-4, come-from-behind win on Wednesday. They ran their record to 5-1 on the current homestand with just the one game remaining.

Cincinnati has claimed four wins in six games against the Phillies heading into the clubs’ last matchup of the regular season.

Elly De La Cruz continues to provide a huge spark for the Reds, as he contributed three hits and three stolen bases on Wednesday. He raised his career steal total to 50 in 122 games. Among Reds players since 1901, only Billy Hamilton reached the mark faster, doing so after 97 games in 2013 and ’14.

In the eighth inning, with the Reds leading 6-4, De La Cruz singled, stole second and third, and scored on a sacrifice fly.

“I see it at real game speed, but I can’t imagine sitting back and watching it on TV, and it’s crazy what he’s doing,” Cincinnati outfielder Will Benson said. “He’s doing it with his bat, doing it with his legs, his glove. He’s impacting the game in all facets.”

The Reds’ bullpen has come through in the clutch over the past two games, led by Fernando Cruz. The right-hander entered on Tuesday with the bases loaded and one out, and he retired the next two batters. Cruz performed a similar escape on Wednesday, coming in with runners on second and third and one out before logging a strikeout and a flyout to end the threat.

Brent Suter tossed a perfect eighth inning with two strikeouts, extending his scoreless streak to 13 1/3 innings, the longest active streak among major league relievers.

The Phillies are expected to get a big boost in the series finale on Thursday as Bryce Harper is expected to return from a three-day paternity leave. Harper had his best day of the season against Cincinnati on April 2 in Philadelphia, when he belted three home runs, including a grand slam.

After collecting hits in his first two plate appearances Monday night against his former team, Phillies right fielder Nick Castellanos reverted to the struggles that have plagued him over the first month of the season.

Castellanos, who left Cincinnati after 2021 to sign a five-year, $100 million contract, went 0-for-4 Tuesday and 0-for-5 Wednesday. Castellanos is hitless in his past 11 at-bats, and he grounded into a game-ending double play on Wednesday.

His average has dropped to .174, and he has just one extra-base hit — a triple — and only seven RBIs while playing every inning of Philadelphia’s 25 games this season.

“The one thing that I can say is physically I’ve put myself in a great position because my body feels great,” Castellanos said. “Now it’s just finding that rhythm and getting a couple hits to fall. You get some happy-go-lucky energy and baseball becomes a game again instead of something that you’re just trying so hard to figure out.”

Nick Martinez (0-0, 4.76 ERA) is leaving the bullpen and returning to the Cincinnati rotation. He will make his third start of the season on Thursday.

Martinez takes the place of right-hander Frankie Montas, who was placed on the 15-day injured list with a bruised right forearm after being struck with a line drive 16 pitches into his Sunday start against the Los Angeles Angels.

Martinez will be making his first career start against Philadelphia. The right-hander has been dominant in five career relief appearances vs. the Phillies, allowing just one run and four hits over 10 1/3 innings with no decisions.

The Phillies will counter with right-hander Zack Wheeler (1-3, 2.30 ERA). Wheeler has 38 strikeouts and just seven walks over 31 1/3 innings this season.

Wheeler is 1-2 with a 2.98 ERA in his seven career starts vs. the Reds.

–Field Level Media